Everyone knows a happy couple; there the couple that make being in a relationship look easy. From the outside looking in, it doesn’t seem to be an effort for them – they genuinely revel in each other’s company, they champion each other and they are their own support network. But don’t let looks deceive you, the chances are it didn’t come easy – they just put the work in!
So just what makes a happy couple…
• It might sound obvious, but happy couples share values. As the saying goes ‘opposites attract’ and that can make for a happy union if your personalities complement each other and you share common interests and have similar values. Having loads of differences about marriage, work, money, children etc. will rarely work in the long-term. You want to know that you are striving for the same end goals and that you are at similar life stages if not ages.
• Communication – it’s like a ‘dirty’ word, let’s be honest – some of us are better at communicating than others. We are all guilty of blaming our partner for ‘not talking’ when sometimes we are sending mixed messages, “I’m fine”, rarely means we are actually fine! But in reality if you don’t communicate well during good times, things are only going to get tougher when life throws you a curve…Happy couples keep talking and don’t let things get to a point of anger and resentment.
• Happy couples don’t take each other for granted. It is so easy to talk about, but not so easy to carry out. Once the excitement of new relationships has calmed and the humdrum of life has taken over, it is all too easy to take your relationship for granted. It’s important to take time for each other, don’t assume just because you have been together for a long time that you know everything about them. People grow over time and their hopes, dreams and desires move with them. Keep checking that you are moving together in new directions not apart.
• Couples that live in harmony are well aware of each other’s faults – but love each other in spite of them. It is nice when one of them stretches outside of their comfort zone, but on a day to day basis they will be accepting of each other’s differences. Above all they will not try to change their partner’s ways.
• Lastly, do not underestimate affection. Happy couples tend to be tactile – they make good eye contact, they kiss, they hug, they hold hands…All of this brings closeness, and a general life happiness that is hard to achieve in any other way.
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